Portable microfilm holder

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to improvements in holders for microfilms and the like and more particularly to novel, readily portable holders equipped with magnetic file cards and magnets to effect fanning of said cards. The portable file or holder disclosed herein includes an elongate base section, laterally spaced file card supporting rods adjacently traversing said base section, and a plurality of generally upright file cards traversed and supported by said rods. The cards are equipped with magnetic means located along the lower half of opposite upright margins thereof. End wall sections extend upwardly from opposite extremities of the elongate base section and support magnets in the vicinity of the magnetic means carried by the cards. Closure panels extend upwardly from the vicinity of the opposite elongate margins of the base section and may be laterally shifted to facilitate positioning the cards in fanned relation or in compact juxtaposition.

United States Patent l 3,881,597 Dahl, Jr. May 6, 1975 [541 PORTABLE MICROFILM HOLDER Primary Examiner-William r. Dixson, .lr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Olson, Trexler, Wolters,

[76] Inventor: Ernest A. Dahl, Jr., 729 Greenwood Ave, Wilmette, in. 60091 Bushnell &

[22] Filed: Aug. 8, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 386,595 The present invention relates generally to improvements in holders for microfilms and the like and more particularly to novel, readily portable holders [52] Cl 206/44 equipped with magnetic file cards and magnets to cf. [51] Int Cl 865d 4 3 feet fanning of said cards. The portable file or holder [58] Fieid "206/44 B 74 8 disclosed herein includes an elongate base section, lat- 229/1 5 40/78 H erally spaced file card supporting rods adjacently traversing said base section, and a plurality of generally upright file cards traversed and supported by said [56] References cued rods. The cards are equipped with magnetic means lo- UNITED STATES PATENTS cated along the lower half of opposite upright margins 3| 1.95! ZIIBBS B g t 206/44 B thereof. End wall sections extend upwardly from opl,044.529 l 1912 HOUSh R posite extremities of the elongate base section and 339,902 1/1932 slrauPel i 206/44 B support magnets in the vicinity of the magnetic means g fiw'g carried by the cards. Closure panels extend upwardly 3465460 9/1969 z 40/78 from the vicinity of the opposite elongate margins of 3:798:8l3 3/1974 Dahl: Jr: I:II.................::::: 40/1055 P and laterally Shifted 9 tate positioning the cards In fanned relation or in compact juxtaposition.

16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures JHN 0E A I A ARTS TC IEO if; esu REV. No.7. j :22: :22: iii. 1.. t 30 60 H i t' [i 62 y l ej 1 38 I N A; I 2:5 7 J 46 s 1 f 32 4 4- W12 i & {3 50 24/ g 6 26 Z1? hqpzz 7; ,,x )vr l Z8 20 i E0 PATENTEU MAY 8 k517i SHEEP 10F 2 SHEET 20F 2 in luluf M M/ PATENTEDHAY' 51915 1 PORTABLE MICROFILM HOLDER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Fanning magnetic filing systems have heretofore been marketed for use in offices, each of such devices incorporating an elongate tray. Such trays, when equipped with file cards and material inserted between said cards, are relatively heavy and bulky. The present invention contemplates the provision of a relatively lightweight, compact file card holder which may be carried by the user much in the same way that a book or catalogue may be handled.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unique file card holder for microfilms and the like which may be transported from place to place much in the same way that a salesman transports catalogues, advertising literature, etc.

The present invention contemplates a simple, compact card file holder in the form of a relatively small case which may be opened to permit the file cards to occupy a fanned relation and which in closed position maintains the file cards and microfilms in juxtaposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a file card arrangement of the type contemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the file card arrangement of FIG. 1 when the cards and microfilms associated therewith are maintained in juxtaposition through the agency of enclosure sections;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view disclosing a file card and a microfilm associated therewith;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the closure sections of the holder illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the index cards and supporting rods detached therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the magnet supporting plate or base section;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures it will be seen that a file holder device of the type contemplated by the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. The device I includes an elongate base or bottom closure section 12 and end wall or closure sections I4 and 16 extending upwardly from opposite extremities of said bottom closure section. The bottom section [2 includes an outer closure portion 18 and a plate 20 which rests against the upper surface of the bottom closure portion 18 as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. Opposite longitudinal margins of the plate 20 present flaring flanges 22. The flanges 22 are notched at 24 to accommodate laterally spaced, horizontally disposed card supporting guide rods 26.

The rods 26 extend through and provide a support for a plurality of file cards 28. Each of the file cards 28 is provided with rod accommodating apertures 26a. As

shown in FIG. 8, the rods 26 each comprise two parts,

one being internally threaded to accommodate an externally threaded screw section of the other. The areas between the cards 28 are adapted to accommodate microfilm sheets 30, the bottom edges of these sheets 30 resting upon the upper surfaces of the rods 26. In the lower half of each of the cards 28 in the vicinity of the opposite vertical margins thereof are magnetic sheets or foils 32 and 34. Magnets 36 and 38 are adhered to complementary metallic strips 40 and 42 respectively, and these magnets and strips are secured through the agency of suitable non-magnetic adhesive sheet stock 44 and 46 respectively to the inner surface of upright end sections 48 and S0 of the plate 20. This is best shown in FIG. 6. While the plate and the upright end sections 48 and 50 thereof are preferably produced from non-magnetic material such as aluminum, the strips 40 and 42 against which the magnets 36 and 38 are held through the agency of the above-mentioned adhesive sheet material 44 and 46 are preferably formed of magnetic material. The longitudinal margins of the strips 40 and 42 flare outwardly in opposite directions so as to facilitate the magnetization of the foil pieces 32 and 34. In other words, the presence of these flared longitudinal margins of the strips 40 and 42 serve to render the magnets 36 and 38 more effective in magnetically energizing the aforesaid foils 32 and 34. Bearing in mind that the magnets 36 and 38 are positioned in the lower half of the holder 10, it will be appreciated that the magnetic forces exerted by the magnets upon the foils must be intensified in order to assure proper fanning of the cards 28. In FIG. 5, the adhesive material 44 and 46 is not shown in order, more effectively to illustrate the relative positions of the magnets with respect to their mounting strips and the upright end sections of the plate 20.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the aforementioned holder 10, in addition to the bottom portion 18 of the base section 12, the end section 14 and the end section 16 also includes a front closure section 52 and a rear closure section 54. An extension 56 of the rear section 54 is adapted to overlap the upper portion of the front section 52 when the holder is in fully enclosed position as shown in FIG. 2. Overlapping flaps 58 and 60 at one extremity of the holder 10, and corresponding overlapping flaps 62 and 64 at the opposite extremity coact with complementary rivet-like elements 66 and 68 respectively in limiting the extent to which the front and back sections 52 and 54 respectively of the holder device 10 may be flared outwardly as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8. Each of the abovementioned flaps are slotted to accommodate the rivetlike elements 66 and 68. At this point, it should be noted that because of the flared relationship of the longitudinal margins 22 of the plate 20, see FIGS. 7 and 8, maximum fanned relationship of the index cards and microfilms is accomplished. It is important, for example, that the front section 52 of the holder 10 be tilted as far forwardly as practical, in order to facilitate exposure of the upper margins of the index cards, etc. A suitable snap fastener 70 may be employed to secure the above-described closure sections in a position to compactly retain the file cards 28 and microfilm sheets 30 positioned between said cards.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates a unique readily portable holder for microfilms and the like. The lower margins of the front closure section 52 and the rear closure section 54 are hingedly joined to the portion 18 of elongate lower section 12. When the front and rear closure sections are positioned as illustrated in FIG. 1, the cards 28 are free to be fanned through the agency of the magnets 36 and 38 which magnetically energize the magnetic inserts or foils 32 and 34. As previously men' tioned, it is advantageous to have the magnets and foils positioned in the vicinity of the lower half of the holder. With this arrangement, a relatively large number of card foils may be energized contemporaneously. The above-described structure makes it possible for a person such as a salesman to carry a compact holder which includes infinitely more information than a plurality of catalogues. The enclosure sections l4, 16, S2, 54 and the bottom portion 18 may be produced from a single sheet of suitable, attractive material such as leather or or plastic thereby affording attractiveness as well as compactness. Information in catalogues is altered from time to time and the use of microfilm sheets enables such changes to be incorporated without the necessity of following the usual practice of making reference to catalogue sheets per se. Holders constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention make it possible to have available for instant reference information concerning many prospective purchasers with out the necessity of tedious and inconvenient reference to printed material such as catalogues, advertising literature and the like.

By having file cards 28 mounted upon the rods 26, these cards are secured against upward or lateral displacement. Obviously, it is important that the foil carrying margins of the cards be positioned closely adjacent but free from frictional engagement with magnets 36 and 38. The guide rods 26 serve to maintain this closely spaced relation of the card margins with respect to the magnets and function also in preventing the cards from being inadvertently tilted or displaced upwardly.

While for purposes of disclosure, certain structural details have been illustrated herein, it should be under stood that other modifications and changes are contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like including an elongate closure base section, a removable magnet support member superimposed over said elongate closure base section laterally spaced file card supporting rod means adjacently traversing said base section and over said removable magnet support member, a plurality of generally upright file cards traversed and supported by said rod means, magnetic means carried by opposite upright margins of said cards and located in the vicinity of the lower half of said cards, end closure sections extending upwardly from the opposite extremities of said elongate closure base section, magnets supported by said removable magnet support member adjacent said end closure sections in the vicinity of said magnetic means, the area between adjacent file cards serving to accomodate microfilms, and relatively, laterally shiftable closure sections ex tending upwardly from opposite elongate margins of said base section.

2. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said laterally shiftable closure sections includes a portion for superimposing the upper margins of said file cards.

3. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 2, wherein said laterally shiftable closure sections, base section and end closure sections are so disposed as to completely enclose the file cards and material positioned between said cards.

4. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said laterally shiftable closure sections, when in one shifted position serve to maintain said file cards in juxtaposition and in another shifted position to condition said cards to be fanned as an incident to the magnetic force of said magnets.

5. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said laterally shiftable sections are hingedly mounted in the vicinity of said elongate opposite margins of said base section.

6. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said end closure sections superimpose the opposite upright margins of said file cards.

7. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongate closure base section includes a sheet member having flange means extending upwardly from the opposite longitudinal margins thereof, said rod means traversing said flange means.

8. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 7, wherein said elongate base section includes plate means, said flange means being integral with and extending upwardly from said plate means.

9. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 8, wherein said elongate flange means comprise oppositely disposed, flaring flanges.

10. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the closure sections are in the form of a foldable sheet.

ll. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 2, wherein fastener means is provided for detachably securing the portion of one of the laterally shiftable closure sections which superimposes the upper margins of the file cards to the other laterally shiftable closure section.

12. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the end closure sections in the vicinity of the magnets supported thereby are non-magnetic.

13. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plate means and flange means are non-magnetic.

14. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like including an elongate closure base section, a removable magnet support member superimposed over said elongate closure base section, laterally spaced file card supporting rod means adjacently traversing said base section, and over said removable magnet support member, a plurality of generally upright file cards traversed and supported by said rod means, magnetic means carried by opposite upright margins of said cards, end closure sections extending upwardly from the opposite extremities of said elongate closure base section, magnets supported by said removable magnet support member adjacent said end closure base sections in the vicinity of said magnetic means, the area between adjacent file cards serving to accommodate other.

16. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 15, wherein the means for limiting the extent to which said shiftable closure sections may be moved away from each other is positioned in the vicinity of said end closure sections. 

1. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like including an elongate closure base section, a removable magnet support member superimposed over said elongate closure base section laterally spaced file card supporting rod means adjacently traversing said base section and over said removable magnet support member, a plurality of generally upright file cards traversed and supported by said rod means, magnetic means carried by opposite upright margins of said cards and located in the vicinity of the lower half of said cards, end closure sections extending upwardly from the opposite extremities of said elongate closure base section, magnets supported by said removable magnet support member adjacent said end closure sections in the vicinity of said magnetic means, the area between adjacent file cards serving to accomodate microfilms, and relatively, laterally shiftable closure sections extending upwardly from opposite elongate margins of said base section.
 2. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said laterally shiftable closure sections includes a portion for superimposing the upper margins of said file cards.
 3. A reAdily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 2, wherein said laterally shiftable closure sections, base section and end closure sections are so disposed as to completely enclose the file cards and material positioned between said cards.
 4. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said laterally shiftable closure sections, when in one shifted position serve to maintain said file cards in juxtaposition and in another shifted position to condition said cards to be fanned as an incident to the magnetic force of said magnets.
 5. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said laterally shiftable sections are hingedly mounted in the vicinity of said elongate opposite margins of said base section.
 6. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein said end closure sections superimpose the opposite upright margins of said file cards.
 7. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongate closure base section includes a sheet member having flange means extending upwardly from the opposite longitudinal margins thereof, said rod means traversing said flange means.
 8. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 7, wherein said elongate base section includes plate means, said flange means being integral with and extending upwardly from said plate means.
 9. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 8, wherein said elongate flange means comprise oppositely disposed, flaring flanges.
 10. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the closure sections are in the form of a foldable sheet.
 11. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 2, wherein fastener means is provided for detachably securing the portion of one of the laterally shiftable closure sections which superimposes the upper margins of the file cards to the other laterally shiftable closure section.
 12. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 1, wherein the end closure sections in the vicinity of the magnets supported thereby are non-magnetic.
 13. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plate means and flange means are non-magnetic.
 14. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like including an elongate closure base section, a removable magnet support member superimposed over said elongate closure base section, laterally spaced file card supporting rod means adjacently traversing said base section, and over said removable magnet support member, a plurality of generally upright file cards traversed and supported by said rod means, magnetic means carried by opposite upright margins of said cards, end closure sections extending upwardly from the opposite extremities of said elongate closure base section, magnets supported by said removable magnet support member adjacent said end closure base sections in the vicinity of said magnetic means, the area between adjacent file cards serving to accommodate microfilms, and relatively, laterally shiftable closure sections extending upwardly from opposite elongate margins of said base section and presenting front, back and top closure portions.
 15. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 14, wherein means is provided for limiting the extent to which said upwardly extending closure sections may be shiftable away from each other.
 16. A readily portable holder for microfilms and the like as set forth in claim 15, wherein the means for limiting the extent to which said shiftable closure sections may be moved away from each other is positioned in the vicinity of said end closure sections. 